ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide has expressed cynicism about the seven nominations made by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly to fill the vacant ministerial positions in his cabinet.
The IYC said though Buhari’s nominations which included an an Ijaw indigene to represent Rivers State was commendable, the President should employ the same speed and zeal to immediately set up a substantive board for the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
Spokesman for IYC, Comrade Ebilade Ekerefe, who made the observation in a statement on Thursday, said the decision of Mr. President to push forward the seven ministerial nominees for clearance at the National Assembly was purely personal and political.
Ekerefe said there was the imperative necessity to urgently form a substantive board of the NDDC as a response to the needs and aspirations of the people of the Niger Delta.
He said notwithstanding the nomination of a kinsman as a ministerial nominee, “we want to restate our call on President Muhammadu Buhari to answer the call of the entire people of the Niger Delta region for the immediate constitution of a substantive board for the NDDC.
“It is unfortunate that most of the quick response to issues by Buhari are misdirected and are not in response to the popular demands by the people.”
Ekerefe also expressed sadness over President Buhari’s alleged contempt for the people of the Niger Delta as he allegedly continued to pay deaf ears to their cries despite the peace in the region which had culminated in the stable oil production for the country.
The IYC spokesman, therefore, appealed to Buhari to do the right thing by appointing a board that would cater to the developmental needs of the people of the region so that his name would be written in gold in the annals of history.